'Sunfragettes' from protest group No More Page 3 demonstrated outside the Pioneers Museum in Toad Lane on Good Friday.

The demonstrators gathered in response to the Co-op's links with the Sun newspaper.

They are appealing to the ethical global retailer to stop advertising in the daily tabloid newspaper and stack the newspaper on high shelves at their food stores out of the reach of children.

No More Page 3 member Lisa Clarke said: “We feel so strongly about how women are perceived in the media, it needs to improve in this country and we feel page 3 is the place to get started.

“But we know it's the tip of the iceberg.

“We are appealing to the Co-op, because Co-op food advertises in The Sun newspaper.

“We'd like them to withdraw their advertising and stop enforcing this sexist outdated attitude, which objectifies women and makes porn accessible to children on the bottom shelf.”

She said the group wants the Co-p to put newspapers featuring topless women on high shelves where they keep their lads' mags.

“In many Co-op stores one of the first things you see opposite the children's magazines is The Sun and The Sport with shots up women's skirts or women bending over in G-strings.

“Children are not ready to deal with these sexual images.”

The campaign group was started by Lucy-Anne Holmes who is an actress and writer living in Brighton.

She started the group after she bought a Sun newspaper during the Olympics and was initially relieved to see that the typical topless page 3 girl had been replaced by a fully clothed photograph of heptathlete champion Jessica Ennis.

But her relief was short lived when she turned to page 12 of the paper and saw a photograph of a topless woman more than double the size of the photograph of Ennis who had just set a British record after overcoming injury and defeating her rivals.

Since then @NoMorePage3 has gained more than 13,800 followers on twitter, with 88,400 people signing a petition to end page 3. Volunteers are operating a multi-functional campaign.

They are not only using social media to promote their cause, but have also been visiting Girl Guide groups, schools and have the backing of half a dozen universities who have vowed to boycott page 3, with the National Union of Students women's conference also agreeing to back the campaign.

Nurse Lisa added: “It's been a success in terms of the way social media has helped us pilot a cause. A lot of people have been uncomfortable about page 3 for a long time, but social media gives people a voice.

“We are fighting for the rights of women in the community to be given equal and unexploited coverage in the media.”